Bound
by Azure Dragon of the North
Summary: Deacon finally gets the translations, but it costs him....
1. Default Chapter

PLEASE NOTE: This story takes place just prior to the first Blade movie. Also, I don't know the exact color of Deacon's eyes, I thought they were green but they could easily be blue. But I made them green because I wasn't sure. Also, I am basing this story entirely off of the first movie, I don't know anything else about the story or characters other then what is mentioned in the movie. So if certain facts are missing or whatever, take that into consideration before giving me a hard time. Thanks -Azure  
  
Bound  
  
Pt 1.  
  
Early dawn has a way of being gray while appearing blue at the same time. Tendrils of thin cloud are scattered through the sky as the sun slowly breaks over the edge of the world. Somewhere in the distance a siren lets out a shrill cry as justice rushes to the scene of a crime. Below on the street trucks are beginning to deliver the goods required for another day. In the apartment four floors up just above the alley, a figure stirs from another night of nightmares.  
  
Unwrapping herself from the twisted cocoon of cheap cotton, the girl staggers to the bathroom and leaves the light off as she stares at herself. Pale green eyes stare into the mirror as dark brown hair sticks up around her head.   
  
"Morning to you too."   
  
She grumbles to herself as she turns on the taps running warm water over her hands. "I had a great night, how was yours?" Splashing the water onto her face she rubs her eyes and soaks her hair. Taking a comb to it she tames the mass into something resembling order.   
  
"You up yet?" A masculine voice calls from behind her bedroom door. "Yo, Dale, you awake?"   
  
She sighs to herself as the door opens and a blonde head pokes in. He looks around, his gazing pausing on the rumpled mess of bedclothes. His dark blue eyes zero in on her and a grin dazzles across his face.   
  
"You are early." She leans against the bathroom door and crosses her arms. "Why?"   
  
"I need to head into work early so I thought I would stop by and see you first." He doesn't come into the room only looks at her. "Nice legs, have you been working out again?"   
  
"What do you really want Brandon?"   
  
He sighed. "I need someone to stay at my place today. I have a shipment coming and someone needs to be there to sign for it." He pauses. "Please Dale, I wouldn't ask if it was something I could do myself."   
  
Dale watches his face for a moment, seriously considering saying no. "Oh fine. What time are you going to be home?"   
  
"Sunset."   
  
"Honestly Brandon, what do you do that is so long?"   
  
He grins at her, "I would love to tell you but you wouldn't believe me."   
  
"This coming from the guy who thinks I am normal." Dale shook her head at him.   
  
"You are normal Dale." Brandon's serious tone makes her stare at him. "At least to me you are."   
  
She rolls her eyes, "Okay now get out. I'll sign for your damn thing whatever the hell it is."   
  
"Thanks D, I owe you." Brandon closes the door and a few moments later the apartment door closes behind him.   
  
Dale stands in the washroom doorway staring at the spot where he had been a moment before. She had known Brandon for four years and every once in a while he asked her to do this. Not that it bothered as much as she let on. In truth she liked being in his apartment. Brandon had fascinating things that she had never seen anywhere else.   
  
Dressing in jeans and a black sweater, Dale locks up her apartment and takes the elevator down to the main floor. Her building is connected to his by a corridor of pretty glass and marble floor panels. It's like crossing from old and crumbling to state of the art and flashy, just by going down a hall.   
  
Her fingers play with a single key on her key ring as she crosses the foyer. There is a brass and granite desk to the left against one wall where two guards sit in uniform. They know her on sight now and nod to her as she crosses. Dale returns it as she makes her way to the bay of elevators. There are three in total and each one is a shining brass box of velvet and pearl buttons. According to Brandon they were taken out of a hotel in Europe and shipped over just for this building.   
  
Dale takes up a place behind a couple as they wait for the elevator. Her fingers twirl the key against her skin. Dale looks down at her hand and watches as her fingers dance across it. She frowns at herself and looks up at the couple. Her eyes spot the markings and her hand goes still. On the back of their necks are identical tattoos. They are small, no bigger then two inches tall and an inch wide. But they are plenty big enough for Dale to recognize it, she knew someone else with that mark. Which consisted of three small lines then came two dots followed by a reversed D. That was Brandon's marking. She has seen it by accident once and asked him about it.   
  
"It's a family thing." He had responded dryly and that was the end of it.   
  
At first she had accepted that but then she started seeing other people with that exact mark. Either Brandon had a huge family or he was lying to her. As much as she wanted the truth, Brandon's friendship meant more then she would ever admit. It was just a tattoo that a lot of people had, it didn't mean anything. Right?  
  
Dale stepped into the elevator after the couple and hunched herself into a corner.   
  
"What floor?" The man asked in a deep voice.   
  
"Ah, top floor please." Dale caught the look the woman shot her and was suddenly aware of the corner she as in.   
  
"You live here?" The woman asked dryly.   
  
"No."  
  
  
  
"What's on the top floor then?" She asked more forcefully.  
  
Dale looked into her face and saw something under those pretty eyes. Dale watched as the woman went slightly pale and tore her eyes off of Dale.   
  
"That's my business." Dale whispered and no one questioned her again.  
  
Stepping off at the top floor she looked around. There was nothing fancy on the outside. There were exactly three doors to choose from and nothing separated one from the other. No numbers or anything. Just three off white doors with normal door handles. Dale remembered the first time she had shown up at Brandon's door, he had been dressed in black boxers which looked dark against his pale skin. His blonde hair had been tousled and he had been less then pleased to see her. Turns out he had his own company to attend to.   
  
Dale went to the left and unlocked the door with the key she had and stepped into the cool darkness of his place. Just standing in the doorway and you got a sense of space, of comfort. Her right hand reached up and clicked on the lights. The light was a dim wattage bulb in a frosted glass casing, designed for light sensitive eyes. The carpet was a super plush gray color that was like walking on storm clouds. The hall was short and spilled into a sprawling living room with leather furniture and marble coffee tables. There were simple, yet expensive paintings on the wall that were cast in midnight shades. Brandon had installed curtains that were thick enough to be bullet proof and dark enough to eclipse the most determined of sunlight.   
  
At one point she had joked about his curtains. "Why are they bullet proof?"   
  
"It's a requirement." Had been the clipped and cold reply.   
  
Tossing her keys to the silver dish on the couch side table, Dale crossed the living room to the kitchen. This too was spacious and incredible. Everything was state of the art and brand spanking new. Going to the huge refrigerator she pulled both doors open and they spread like wings. Leaving the bottom half closed. And locked. Brandon had warned her never to touch the bottom half and his tone had been enough determent. The top half was all she really wanted anyway. Even though Brandon was hardly ever home he kept a well stocked fridge which Dale had never understood. Everything a person could possibly want was stocked neatly and perfectly organized. She found her favorite choice tucked neatly near the back with her name written on it. That made her smile and then blush. Brandon had thought of her and that meant something to her. No one thought of Dale unless she made them. Most of the time it didn't bother her, but when she found things like this, with her name on it, it reminded her that most people didn't care.   
  
Closing the doors she found a spoon and sat down at the island to eat. The rest of the kitchen was a perfectly neat and precisely organized collection of plates, cups, cooking utensils and beautiful cabinets. They were glass paneled doors with oak casings and brass hands. Bringing warmth to an otherwise cold gray and blue world of polished steel taps and metal drawers that made up the kitchen.   
  
Dale washed her spoon when she was finished and put it back in the correct place. Heading back into the living room she flopped onto the couch and reached for the universal remote. Turning on the television she surfed all two hundred channels aimlessly before switching to the stereo and listening to the latest CD that Brandon had bought. If there was one thing they could agree on unanimously, was music. They both enjoyed the pounding speed of techno and the slow sounds of B.B. King and everything in between. Today he had in a mixed disc that was pleasant to listen to.   
  
Just as she was drifting off into a light sleep her back pocket started to buzz. She twisted herself around and unclipped the pager. Looking at the number she cursed and shook her head. Rolling to her feet she picked up Brandon's phone and dialed her work.   
  
"Dale?"  
  
"Hey Corey, you paged me?"  
  
"Yeah, Vick can't show for his shift tonight, we need someone to cover. Can you possibly come in for a few hours?"   
  
"Sorry Corey, I am in the middle of something pretty important. Besides I'm on vacation, remember?"   
  
"Yeah, but it's really serious. Vick was supposed to do a private party tonight. We need someone experienced to do it." Corey was interrupted by someone.   
  
Dale didn't listen as he talked to them, instead she thought over his offer. "Hey Corey, is it after sunset?"   
  
  
  
"Huh? Oh, ah, yeah it is. Why?"   
  
  
  
"I might be able to work it in that case."   
  
"Oh great Dale! This would really boost you with the boss." Corey gushed in a lively tone.   
  
Dale bit back her response to that one and said she would do her best to be there. Sinking back into the couch once the call was over she closed her eyes and let herself go.   
  
**  
  
Jerking herself out of another nightmare, Dale looked around frantically at the unfamiliar surroundings. Reality came to her in pieces and she rubbed her face to clear away the remains of the dream. Standing up she looked at her watch and frowned. Sunset was two hours away and that thing had come yet.   
  
As she yawned and stretched out her kinks there came a knock at the door. She stood still and listened carefully. There was a rule against answering the door so she listened again. The knock came again and was repeated in a pattern. Her shoulders relaxed and she moved to open the door. Peeking out first at who was there; a huge black man in complete black and cornrows. She arched a brow at that but unlocked the door. The man paused when he saw her and looked around the place.   
  
  
  
"Brandon authorized me to sign." She said and waved him in.  
  
The guy looked at her again before entering and he went straight to the kitchen. Dale didn't follow him, she lingered by the door and listened to sounds of something moving and lifting, the sounds a lock clicking and then a snapping sound. The man made his way back to her and handed her a clipboard with the receipt to sign. She did and he ripped off a copy of it.   
  
'Thanks." She said and closed the door behind.  
  
  
  
Locking it she went to the kitchen placed the receipt on the island along with a note she scribbled to Brandon. Grabbing her keys she left the apartment and waited for the elevator. Her foot tapped quickly against the black stone floor as she stared at the elevator door. There came a ding and she stepped in. Pressing the pearl buttons she felt herself drop to the main floor where she stepped out and waved to the guards as she left.   
  
Slamming her door shut she hurried to her room and jumped in the shower. Her place by comparison to Brandon was small, old and pathetic. Her living room was part of her kitchen and her bathroom was half of her bedroom. She didn't have a vista view of anything but the alley and that was less then charming. There were no shining silver taps or pearl buttons here. Just thread bare carpets and creaky faucets. But it was home and that was all that mattered most days. Brandon may have the gold but he didn't have a home like she did.   
  
Her work uniform consisted of black skirt, white blouse, black tie and black shoes. Being that tonight she was doing a private party she added the rest of her regalia. Cufflinks, tie tack, black vest with the company crest and pocket watch. Each piece had come over the years as she was promoted through the ranks. Starting at server, then waitress, then up to hostess, then shift manager, floor manager and now she was room manager. There were three rooms at the country club where she worked. She was the manager of the second most coveted room in the club. Shrugging on a light coat she pocketed her keys and swept out of the apartment. This time she bypassed the hall and stepped right out onto the street. She hailed a cab and away she went.   
  
Dale stepped out at the employee entrance of the club and swiped her pass key through the lock. The door popped and she pulled it open. There was a rush of activity around her she made her way to the 'check-in booth'. She paused at the entrance when she saw Corey shouting into his headset.   
  
"Someone get over to the Oak floor and help Melanie with the Kramer table." Corey scribbled something on the clipboard that was permanently attached to his hand. "No! We need the Kennedy table clothes in the Silver room for the Pearson party."   
  
Dale grinned despite herself. "I leave you alone for two days and this place is already falling apart."   
  
Corey spun around and practically fell at her feet. "Oh thank God! This is just insane. It's like everyone has forgotten how to do their jobs."  
  
Dale took the clip board from him and flipped through it. "Well no wonder, you have all the rookies on the same floor." She eyed him. "Maybe it's you that's forgotten Corey." She teased him lightly and he smiled at her. "Give me that thing." She took Corey's headset and clipped it to her belt as she shrugged off her coat.   
  
"Okay everyone listen up." Dale looked once more at the clipboard. "Jeffery and Alice move to Oak floor, Martin and Scott take the reins on the White floor. All of you that have yet to complete your orientation listen closely: The managers are there to help you with things so don't argue with them."   
  
Corey would have kissed her had she let him but instead she shoved the clipboard in his face. "Thanks again." He said.  
  
"Yeah, yeah."   
  
Dale took her coat from him and stepped into the employee room. Hanging her coat up and resetting the headset for her room she adjusted it to fit her head. Gathering up her personal clipboard and punching in, Dale left the room and used the back halls to quickly find her way to the room she managed.  
  
It was peaceful and quiet as the party had yet to arrive. The floor was a silver carpet that accented the light colored wood on the walls. Double chandeliers glittered from the ceiling and two dozen tables sat waiting for her. Through the main doors her team came to muster and she inspected each one. Setting them to their tasks she checked over the bar, the sound system and the work of each table.   
  
"Dale, this is Corey." Corey's voice filled her ears. "I have a call for you from Brandon."   
  
"Put him through." Dale paused as the line hissed and then was quiet. "Hi."   
  
"Hey, thanks so much. I owe you big time D." Brandon's voice was sexy over the phone and this was no exception. "I heard you met someone in the elevator today."   
  
"How....oh never mind you probably wouldn't tell me anyway." That earned a laugh from him.  
  
"It's a small building Dale."   
  
"Yeah okay. Why'd you call?"   
  
"I want to thank you by taking you out to dinner after work. You up for that?"   
  
Dale stomped on the sudden urge to giggle and jump up and down. "I think it could be arranged. I am working a private party so I might be a little longer then usual tonight."   
  
"No problem, I'll wait." Brandon's tone was purring into her brain and making her turn red. "By the way, what did you do in the elevator today? I mean it must have been something to spook Clair like that."   
  
"I just....looked at her." Dale fibbed and Brandon was quiet for a moment.   
  
"See you tonight then." Brandon hung up and Dale stood staring at her clipboard.   
  
He had known she was lying and that bothered her, a lot. But what was she supposed to say? The truth? No way, Brandon would never understand that, at least not this truth.   
  
"Dale?" A voice called to her from across the room. "I need help with something."   
  
Dale shook off her thoughts and refused to think of it again. 


	2. bound2

Bound  
  
Pt 2  
  
The clock on the wall chimed midnight as Dale signed off on her last sheet of the night and punched out. Heaving a sigh as she rubbed her neck to ease the stiffness, she ran fingers through her hair to loosen it. The place was quiet as she walked through the deserted corridors of the Country Club. Night shadows crossed at odd angles over her feet and at her back. She was exhausted and kept yawning despite her best efforts to stop. Pushing through the main doors that lead to the parking lot, she checked the lock and headed out. Her feet paused without her mind telling them to and she was suddenly looking around. Her eyes searched the dark shadows that hugged the building. Her ears picked up the rush of traffic from the city that was across the highway.   
  
Something had made her stop.  
  
Dale felt her shoulders tighten as she stood there, her eyes flicked back and forth as her heart pumped faster and faster. Her arms began to itch and a tingle went through her spine. She dove suddenly for the nearby bushes as a shot cracked through the night and around bit into the cement where she had stood moments before. Poking her head out she searched the shadows again and knew it was useless. They weren't designed for seeing in the dark. Drawing in a breath she looked around for a better hiding place and found one in the guise of a stone bench. She drew in a breath and ran, shots snapped after her, narrowly missing her as she dove against for the bench. The stone cracked and popped as bullets followed her. Pain registered only after she had stopped. Reaching for the source of pain she looked at the blood on her hand and knew she had been shot. There was more pain, albeit lesser in intensity at her knees and arms. They were scraped badly from the diving actions.   
  
Her ears pricked suddenly at the arrival of a new sound. A car. Brandon! She craned her head to look around the bench and was met with more shots. But she had seen him, his sleek black Corvette was heading her way. She licked her lips and made a snap decision. Launching herself to her feet she ran for the parking lot. She ran out in front of his car and heard the screech of brakes. Shots rained down on her and more pain blossomed. Brandon spun his car around and raced up behind her.  
  
"Dale! Dale!"   
  
She turned her head.   
  
"The car is bullet proof, get in!"   
  
Brandon came up beside her with the door open. She threw herself into the leather interior and Brandon tore out of the lot.   
  
"Dale! Talk to me! Are you hit? Say something damn it!" Brandon reached over and helped her sit up as they rocketed down the freeway.   
  
"I am hit." She could feel the burning holes of pain her body and hoped nothing was fatal.   
  
"Oh shit" Brandon glanced at her and then made a sudden swerve onto a too close exit. "Hang on I know someone who can help." He drove them through dark streets like there was hell on their tail.  
  
Dale felt herself shivering as the pain reached her head and burst into a silent drumming of solid agony. "Hurry Brandon." Her vision was starting to blur as colored objects were swirling around her head. Black covered her and she felt nothing.  
  
Jarring to awareness brought with it stiffness and pain which made Dale moan as she felt something crack. Hands grabbed her and she recognized them as Brandon.   
  
"Easy there D, you were hit real good." His face swam into view and he looked worried and beautiful at the same time.   
  
"No shit." She choked out of a dry throat and coughed a few times.   
  
"Here." Brandon handed her water and watched as she gingerly sipped it. "Now just lay back and keep from moving too much."   
  
"Don't boss me around." She snapped and forced herself to sit on her own. "Was it silver?"   
  
He looked startled for a moment. "Yes. How'd you know?"   
  
Dale felt her blood warm as anger raged through her. "Call it a hunch."   
  
"We found other injuries that suggest this isn't a first time." Brandon was talking with complete call as he watched her closely. "Have you been shot before Dale?"   
  
She was silent and stared too hard at the floor. "This has nothing to do with you so just drop it."   
  
"On the contrary Miss Frost, I believe it has a lot to do with him."   
  
She jumped and jerked her head up at the familiar voice. "Paul?"   
  
Paul stepped out in a golden suit that matched his complexion and brought out his ebony black hair. He was a stunning man to look at and knew it. A smile curled his full mouth which revealed fangs and ruined some of the beauty.   
  
"What are you doing here?" She asked in total disbelief.   
  
"Searching for you actually." He sounded jovial and Dale knew it was a lie.   
  
"Why?"  
  
"We need the information you have about the translation of the Red Stone." Paul glanced at Brandon. "We'll call if we need you."   
  
Brandon moved to go Dale grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "I don't think so. Listen Paul I know that you want that stone to work for you. But I quit the project when my family was slaughtered."   
  
Paul sighed as if disappointed. "That again."   
  
Brandon stayed where he was holding the water glass and said nothing.  
  
"Look suck head, I realize that the death of a dozen humans won't faze your ass. But for me, considering they were my family, it means something to me. Now look, I still think you had something to do with that and until I have proof otherwise, I am not going to help you one fucking bit."   
  
Paul stared at her a long time. "God you are stubborn. But then again, you are his descendant so what else can I expect?"   
  
"What are you talking about?"   
  
Paul spread his hands wide as he tossed her a file folder. "Take a look at your proof Ms. Frost. That should satisfy you."   
  
Dale flipped open the folder and looked at the photos of her dead family. She skipped over those and went to the notes. She read them twice before looking at him. "Explain this."   
  
"That says that we have found out why your family was hunted down. I am sure you have heard of Blade and his...adventures."   
  
"Everyone has."   
  
"Well then you must have heard of Deacon Frost." Paul stared at her with perfect calm.   
  
"I can't say as I have." Dale shrugged. "But so what?"   
  
"We traced Deacon's human roots and discovered he had a son the name of Edward."   
  
Dale felt her hands go cold. "And?"   
  
"I believe you have a three times great grandfather by that name do you not?"   
  
"I think so. I am not too sure. I mean he was murdered before anyone really got anything down." She frowned at him. "Why are you asking?"   
  
Paul made a frustrated sound. "I'll make this simple. Your great grandfather is Deacon Frost."   
  
Beside her came a choked sound as Brandon coughed behind his hand. He wouldn't meet her eyes and was staring too hard at the floor.   
  
'This being a big deal because....?" Dale glanced at both of them.   
  
"We need your translations to help Deacon solve a particular riddle. Have you ever heard of La Magra?"   
  
"The Blood God?" Brandon spoke up and sounded awed. "I heard that he was trying to go after the legend."  
  
Paul gave him a long look before shifting his attention to Dale. "As you can see this is very important to us."   
  
"What does this have to do with my family being murdered?"   
  
"The hunters must have found the connection and are trying to get rid of you. Deacon is one of their biggest foes." He sounded very happy about that little fact. "The hunters would see his kin, no matter how distant, as a threat and therefore they would hunt you down."   
  
Dale sat there staring at her hands for a long moment; she flexed them once, then twice. Feeling the muscles work and the bones bend in her skin and realizing what Paul had just said.  
  
"I want to meet him." Dale announced after several long minutes of silence.   
  
Paul frowned and shook his head. "No."   
  
"Yes." She slid off the table and wavered a moment. Brandon made a move to help she waved him off. "You said this guy was my ancestor, I want to meet him."   
  
"No." Paul said more forcefully. "Out of the question."   
  
"Then forget about your translations." Dale drew in a breath. It hurt all the way down and right through her toes. But she stood up right and met his eyes. "I meet Deacon Frost and then I give you the translations."   
  
Paul opened his mouth to argue and then closed it while a smile crossed his features. "Alright." He waved to Brandon. "Set it up and see to it she is escorted."   
  
"Sir." Brandon bowed his head and Paul was gone when he straightened. He turned his eyes on Dale and wasn't happy. "Are you absolutely stark raving mad?"  
  
"Why do you say it that way?" Dale asked turning to face him.   
  
She became aware of the fact that she had very little clothing on and the fact that Brandon was totally male. She hid her blush by rubbing her face.   
  
"Deacon Frost? The guy is a freaking psycho even my our standards. I mean by vampire standards."   
  
"I thought you liked vampires Brandon or am I not correct in assuming you work for them?" There was an edge to her tone that Dale wasn't expecting.   
  
"I do like vampires, I admire them even. But not Deacon Frost."   
  
"Fine, give me his address and I'll go my self." Dale turned her back on him looking around the room. "Now how do I get out of here?"   
  
Brandon was quiet for a moment before he let out a heavy sigh and brushed by her. He punched in a code and the door slid back, he waved her through.   
  
"I have a question for you." Brandon said lightly as they walked down an ornate hallway. "How did you ever translate the Red Stone, that's almost as old as the Book of Erebus?"  
  
"I have a knack for computers and was able to scan the whole thing in before writing a program that would decode the stone tracings." Dale paused as they passed by a painting. "That is lovely."  
  
Brandon back tracked and came up beside her. "I have seen it." Taking her elbow he walked her along the hall. Pausing once they came to a set of stairs that led up. He punched in a different code and the doors parted. Harsh white light painted the new scene. Which turned out to be a huge walk in freezer that was part of a large prep kitchen.   
  
"Did we just walk out of a freezer?" Dale turned and stared at the gleaming surface of the door. "Does that seem strange to you?"   
  
"No."   
  
Dale rolled her eyes. "Of course not. What was I thinking?" She mocked hitting her forehead with her hand. "I mean you work for vampires so walking out of a freezer is normal for you."   
  
Brandon was walking faster now, pulling her along with him. "We need to talk somewhere less open." He snapped and pushed his way out of the kitchen and into a pumping night club.   
  
He dragged her through the crowd which was thumping and grinding to a blend of music. Above them lights swirled, crashed and twisted into a rainbow of light against the dark. The crowd would surge every so often and push the two of them deeper into the center of it all. One particular surge broke Brandon's hold on her arm and sent Dale spinning off into the masses. She staggered her way to a table and leaned against the corner of it.   
  
"Do you mind?" A voice snarled at her back.  
  
Dale half turned and gazed into glowing blue eyes and sharp white fangs. The woman had white hair slicked back from her forehead and was wearing a white bra and leather pants.   
  
"No I don't mind actually." Dale spoke with ice and the woman narrowed her eyes at her.   
  
"That's too bad for you."   
  
Dale felt it before the woman moved and snatched her self just out of the woman's reach. The vampire blinked several times as if confused, she looked at her hand and snarled at Dale.   
  
"Oh boo hoo for you, I moved." Dale took another step back as the woman jumped on the table and snarled at her. Their fangs glinted in the colored lights as she gnashed them together a few times before she threw herself at Dale.   
  
Dale dove to the side and felt her injuries reopen in the same action. Moist wetness slid down her skin as she backed up. Trying to stay clear of the masses who as of yet unaware of the trouble, while keeping a good distance between her and the vampire.   
  
"Don't run, I hate the taste of adrenaline." The woman snarled.  
  
"I'll keep that in mind."   
  
Dale searched around for something resembling a weapon or a defensive tool. Humans, humans and vampires. Nothing useful. Dale bumped into someone and paused as a jolt ran through her back and into her head. The person turned as if they too felt it as Dale lifted her chin to stare into pale green eyes. From this distance Dale could see the wild fire that burned in those depths. The beast that laughed at death while dancing with corpses. The man looked over at the woman and the vampire stopped in her tracks.   
  
"Mercury what are you doing?" His tone resonated from inside Dale's body and she felt a shiver go through her.   
  
"This human bitch needed a lesson." The woman snapped as she waved to Dale.   
  
He looked back at her and Dale put space between them. She gazed into his face and was amazed at their similarities. Same hair, eyes and there was a ghost of resemblance in the face.   
  
"Not too night Mercury." The man said loosely. "We have bigger things to do." He stepped around Dale and pulled the woman with him as he went. His arm tight around her waist as he kissed her hair as his flickered over Dale one last time.   
  
"There you are!" Brandon shoved his way out of the crowd and stared at her the departing couple. "Holy shit."  
  
"You can say that again." Dale was shivering and couldn't help it. "Who was that?"   
  
"Oh no one just Deacon Frost." Brandon stared at her and shook his head, grabbing her arm he hauled her none too gently out of the club.   
  
He didn't say a single word until they were locked in his apartment and standing in his kitchen with the refrigerator open. Brandon stood there staring into the golden light and didn't move to grab anything.   
  
"Brandon say something. Why are you upset with me?" Dale still had her arms hugged around her body while she stood there watching him. "Tell me why your angry."  
  
"It's not anger Dale." He whispered and reached aimlessly for something. He took it out and closed the doors. Sinking into a chair and staring at what he had pulled out.   
  
"Then what is it?" Dale didn't move from where she stood.   
  
"I have wanted to meet Deacon Frost for as long as I can remember. The guys a legend almost as big as Blade but he's more a hero then a problem. I mean the guy is a rebel in a time when rebellion is a forgotten way of life."   
  
Dale arched a brow at him. "Not making any sense over here."   
  
He looked at her. "For years our world as been ruled by the Pure Bloods, the born vampires, but when Deacon came along he decided to change things. He is going to return the power to where it belongs, to those who are the majority, the made vampires. He started a war with the Pure Bloods when he announced his plans to translate the Bible. They think is just being a fool but Deacon can do it. I mean he's real smart like and he's ruthless." Brandon looked up. "Kind of like you. I mean people listen when he talks just like they do to you. Things are done when he says so, just like with you."   
  
"So we have a few things in common. No big deal." Dale shrugged and flinched as her shoulder protested. She reached up and felt around it, the skin was hot and sore.   
  
"It is a big deal. Consider things like this Dale, your related to him and both of you are involved with solving the legend of La Magra. You have the first piece and Deacon has the second. If you combine them they will make the puzzle whole."   
  
Brandon stood up and came toward her, Dale backed up until she hit the wall. Brandon smiled gently and reached for her. His fingers traced her jaw and wrapped around behind her head. He pulled her closer and bent his head.   
  
"No Brandon." Dale pressed her hand to his chest.   
  
"Why not?" He whispered against her mouth. "I know you want to."   
  
"Because there is someone else here." Dale kept her eyes on the figure that had appeared in the kitchen.   
  
Brandon spun around as a shot rang out and he jerked as his legs crumpled. Dale ducked the next shot and used Brandon as a shield as she crouched on the floor.   
  
"It's time to end this silly little game." The hunter raised his shot gun to Dale's face.   
  
"I couldn't have said it better my self."   
  
Dale jumped at the sudden voice at her back and was startled to see Paul standing there. His golden suit shone and he looked incredible as always.   
  
"Paul Oaken what a surprise." The man laughed as he glanced from the vampire to the humans. "Looks like I have you at a cross-roads."   
  
"I doubt it." Paul's tone was empty as snow and just as cold. "Put down the gun hunter and I might take only one arm."   
  
"No deal."   
  
Dale realized that Paul was distracting the man and she moved carefully from behind Brandon. She was fortunate that Brandon had landed against the wall with cooking utensils. She reached in gingerly and drew out the first thing she touched. A skillet. She frowned at it but kept it. Moving slowly against the wall as Paul and the hunter bickered she came up behind him. Raising the pan over her head she brought it down with all the strength she had. The man cried out and fell as the pan smacked into his head. Dale felt the shock march up her arms and across her shoulders. She wavered but remained standing. The man had dropped his gun and she snatched it up. Firing into his head before he could regain his focus and attack her, her eyes blinked away the worst of the splatter that covered her.   
  
Throwing the gun down, she ran to Brandon and rolled him over. "Brandon?"   
  
"He's gone Dale." Paul didn't sound the least bit remorseful over it. "Come on we have to go." He pulled her away and she wanted to fight but didn't have the strength.   
  
"Now listen to me." Paul shook as they rode down in the elevator. "Listen to me Dale. Deacon wants to meet you, now, tonight. I don't know he knows about you, but he called me and told me to bring you to him."   
  
She nodded because that was what he wanted. Her mind was lost in an endless circle that revolved around a single image. Brandon's body as he crumpled to the floor. Her skin remembered the warmth of his breath against her lips as he leaned to kiss her. If only she had let him, if only she had been more aware of that man sooner. If only....If only didn't do any good now.   
  
"There isn't time to take you home so you can change and there are going to be a lot of questions about what happened."   
  
She nodded again.   
  
Paul looked at her and frowned darkly. "Snap out of it Dale. You've seen people die before."   
  
"Yeah but never in my arms like that."   
  
Paul snorted. "Don't get hung up on it. Just focus on what Deacon is going to ask you. He'll want the translation tonight, have you got it?"   
  
She nodded. "I do at my apartment."   
  
"That will make things more complicated." Paul ended the conversation with that and not another word was spoken.   
  
After parking his car in the back Paul lead he around to the front and nodded to the door man. He stared after Dale but didn't stop them as they entered. More heads turned as Dale was hauled along behind Paul until they reached the main elevators. He turned her to face him and wiped her face with a cloth. His scrubbed at her hands and made a face at her clothes.   
  
"White and blood don't mix."   
  
Dale looked down at her clothes and realized she was still wearing her uniform from work. Her white shirt was now red in the front with a sprinkling of dots out from there. Her skirt too was darker then it should be. Her shoes were speckled with blood as she flexed her feet up and down.   
  
Paul gave up as the doors opened and he pushed her in. Reaching into his suit he pulled out a card which he inserted into a slot and pressed the upper most button. The ride was quick and silent and opened up to a loud party atmosphere. Dozens of people mostly human, milled around while whispering back and forth. Music played from somewhere and added to the party feeling. But under the party there was another feeling, a darker one. Dale was snapped out of her state by this feeling. She stopped in her tracks as her skin tingled and her head buzzed. She lifted her head and looked around. Intermingling with the humans were vampires who were prowling like hungry sharks. Paul had disappeared into the crowd and she didn't bother to look for him.   
  
"We meet again human." A voice slithered from her left.   
  
Dale turned to see the blonde woman, Mercury, stalk up and glare at her. She eyed Dale like she was candy coated and looked yummy.   
  
"You killed a human." She remarked with somewhat awed surprise. "Why did you do that little girl?"   
  
"He shot a friend of mine." Dale wasn't scared of her like she had been last time. If anything, Dale wanted the woman to beat the life out of her.   
  
"Hmm." Mercury laughed as she reached out and Dale didn't move. Her finger closed around Dale's throat and squeezed. "You didn't move."   
  
Dale grinned, returning the same smile she was getting. Her hands came around and smacked against the woman's ears. She shrieked and covered her ears and thus releasing Dale. Dale found her balance and rammed her fist into Mercury's middle bringing the vampire to her knees which lined her up nicely for a kick to the face which sent her to the floor.   
  
Dale stood over her a moment before she was picked up off the floor and hurled through the air across the room. She crashed down in a pool of water that was at least five feet deep. Breaking the surface Dale tossed her head back and looked around. She was now outside with an incredible view of downtown and the skyline. Hands grabbed her and she was heaved from the water and shaken like a doll. Her head spun around and she felt her stomach twist.  
  
"Quinn, put her down." Deacon's tone was level and totally relaxed as he made his way over to where Dale was being choked.   
  
The man released her and she crashed back into the pool. Once she surfaced she half pulled herself onto the solid surface around her. Deacon crouched down and watched her with a bemused smile.   
  
"Paul says you translated the Red Stone."   
  
Dale lifted her head. "And you believe him?"   
  
Deacon grinned and glanced over his shoulder. "Under normal circumstances I wouldn't, but from what I hear, you aren't normal."   
  
"Oh so it's like that then." Dale pushed her hair off her face. "What say you get me out of this and I'll show you the translations?"   
  
Deacon watched her a long time before grinning and standing up. "Get out yourself and Paul will show the computer to use."   
  
Dale lingered in the water and felt the burning pain of her entire body as she breathed in and out. Finally she forced herself to haul her body out of the water and stand upright. Paul threw a towel at her and glared at her while Dale quickly dried herself off. The party was still going strong and no one seemed the least bit interested in what had just happened. Paul lead her to a private room where the noise of the party was blocked out and a state of the art computer sat waiting for her. There was a black desk sitting across from the work station and leather set of furniture in another corner. The office was dark and not made to promote relaxation or peace. It was just a dark space with just enough to allow for work.   
  
"Use this computer to download the translations." Paul waved to the work station.   
  
Dale sat down and rolled up the sleeve of her shirt, turning her left arm face up she ran her fingers along her forearm. After a few inches she could feel the edge of a circular object. Only problem, she wasn't about to cut her arm open around a vampire.   
  
"Paul would you be a sport and wait outside?" Dale shot him a smile.   
  
"Why?"  
  
"If you want the disk, you'll wait outside."   
  
Paul glared at her a moment but left anyway.   
  
Dale let out a sigh and rubbed her arm.   
  
"Need a hand with that?"   
  
She spun around and found Deacon lingering just across the room. He crossed the floor and sat down next to her.   
  
"You expect me to do this in front of you?" Dale arched a brow.   
  
"Well it is my disc and you have no other choice."   
  
"Why is that?"   
  
"I could kill you and take it out that way, or I could rip your arm off and leave you to the masses or you could just give me the disc and we'll call it even." Deacon held out a hand, a single nail growing out about an inch and half.   
  
"Aren't you just accommodating," Dale watched his eyes and saw her own eyes.   
  
"No I am not. I am just goal orientated"  
  
Dale watched Deacon and wasn't sure what to do about him. 


	3. b3

Bound   
  
Pt 3  
  
Minutes ticked by very slowly before Deacon sat back from her as Dale continued to stare at him. His eyes lightened as he smiled slowly and he laughed suddenly.   
  
  
  
"Paul says that you are Edward's granddaughter."   
  
"You put a lot of faith in that man." Dale countered and saw him grin.   
  
"You don't."   
  
"He watched as my family died in a hail of bullets. He was supposed to protect us and did nothing. I owe him nothing other then a shot to the head." Dale looked down at her arm and stared at the pale line of scars. "Perhaps more then that."  
  
Deacon was so quiet she had to look up to know he was still there. He was watching her closely and his eyes held a guarded, closed look that resembled someone thinking a new thought.   
  
"Dale," He said her name as if unfamiliar with it. "Dale do you know why I want to waken La Magra?"   
  
She shook her head. "Paul never really let us in on the know about things. As long as the program I wrote worked, he was happy."   
  
Deacon stood up and crossed to the desk, he pressed a button on the telephone and a moment later Paul walked in. He looked pleased and content until he saw Dale sitting there with nothing changed. His expression slid from Dale to Deacon and back.   
  
"Paul, do you know what it means to fail on this mission?" Deacon asked lightly as he sat on the edge of the desk, arms crossed and a calm look on his face.   
  
"Fail? But Lord Deacon, I brought the girl." Paul waved to Dale. "I did what you asked; she has the disc in her arm."   
  
Deacon frowned at him. "What makes you think it's the right disc? It could be a virus that would destroy the system."   
  
Dale snapped her head up and stared at Deacon. Her mouth dropped open as Paul looked confused.   
  
Deacon continued easily. "What is to stop her from having left the disc somewhere else? Say her apartment or the last place she called home?"   
  
Paul blinked once as he finally comprehended the situation. His head turned to Dale and he lashed out in a quick motion. Dale slid to the floor as her head spun and her vision blurred. Pain roared through her system and filled her head with a buzzing hiss of noise. Dale was dimly aware that Paul was suddenly screaming and the room was just as soon quiet.   
  
Deacon crouched down in front of her and lifted her chin to stare into her eyes. "Where is the disc Dale?"  
  
"I won't tell you." She muttered as her head swam wildly around on her shoulders.   
  
"You will tell me eventually." Deacon's face smiled at her and that was the last thing Dale remembered.   
  
**  
  
At first nothing penetrated her clouded head and it took her a long time to figure out what she was staring at; a black chair, with a large black man in it. Dale blinked and felt her face protest and wondered what Paul had broken this time. As she thought it her mind kick started and she was agonizingly aware of her entire body. Flexing both hands sent pain up her left arm and her right arm was numb. Dale slid her eyes to the left and saw thick white tape and gauze that went from her elbow down her past her fingers. Looking to the right she saw a plastic tube stuck in her arm. Pale blue liquid was flowing into her system from it.   
  
Sound reached her and came in disjointed patches that she pieced together as an argument. Dale didn't bother to listen as the door opened and she saw Deacon step in. He leaned against the door and let out a sigh as something smashed against the door.   
  
"Jealousy?" Dale asked lightly and Deacon jerked his head up. His eyes focused on her and Dale was aware of the jolt that went through her.   
  
"Mercury is the jealous type." He admitted lightly and nodded to the black man to leave. Deacon took up the chair and pulled it closer to her bed. "Welcome back, you crashed for a while."   
  
"If you knew that disc wasn't the real one, why take it out?" Dale flexed her left fingers.   
  
"I wasn't completely sure it wasn't my disc." Deacon touched her arm and traced a small scar on her skin. "How'd you get that?"   
  
"Paul." Dale wanted to pull her arm away from him, but her muscles weren't working properly. "What have you given me?"   
  
"A sedative of my own making, it will keep you from doing anything rash."   
  
"Me? Rash?" Dale tried to smile but her face her too much. "What about my face?"   
  
Deacon looked at it for a moment. "He broke your cheekbone and left a nice hand print in remembrance."   
  
  
  
Dale was over come with the sudden urge to cry and try as she might a single tear slid out. Her lips, had she been able to feel them, would have trembled. It wasn't as though she felt any great loss, she had lost everything years ago. It was more like a need to release all the pent up emotions. Inhaling deeply was pure pain and she flinched and felt her back spasm. Tears came and she had no way to stop them, her body wasn't hers to control anymore.   
  
"Dale?" Deacon sounded distant and he touched her face.   
  
Her eyes opened and he looked a little more then concerned. "Hmmm?"   
  
"Dale hang on."   
  
She smiled and the pain didn't register. "Hang on to what?"   
  
**  
  
Deacon paced angrily back and forth in his office as he kept glancing at the computer station. It was working through the disc which he had removed from Dale's arm. It wasn't a virus program like he had initially thought, but it was something else all together. A heavily encrypted mesh of scattered data that had no apparent use and yet he knew that wasn't true. Deacon stopped in front of the station and hit a button the keyboard. The program stopped running and froze on a single image. Using the mouse Deacon framed it and zoomed in. There was a moment of humming as the computer adjusted the settings to make the picture clear. He drew in a sharp breath at the face he stared at. Edward.   
  
Deacon backed away from the computer and after a minute the machine started the program again. Deacon watched the rush of images and finally realized what they were. The disc contained various snap shots of Dale's family over the generations. Deacon drew in a breath and shut off the computer turning his back on the black screen and leaving the room.   
  
He was angry for more reasons then he wanted to talk about. There was something in Dale that sent a jolt through his entire system. It wasn't attraction like he was used to it, it was something different, something that ran so deep that there was no depth perception to measure it. Deacon leaned against the windows that looked out at the downtown skyline. His mind kept showing the look in her eyes as she fell unconscious; it was a look he knew all to well, a look he had instilled in many people. It was fear. Dale was scared.   
  
"She should be." Deacon snapped and the words were empty.   
  
He could feel the vacancy in them and it annoyed him greatly. How could it be that this one girl would disrupt his whole world? She hadn't even done anything yet and perhaps that was what scared him the most. Dale had done absolutely nothing and yet Deacon's whole center was off balance.   
  
"Boss?" A voice called through the dark. "We have a sighting."  
  
Deacon lifted his head and realized he had pressed it against the window. "Fine. I'll be right there."   
  
Deacon made a detour to Dale's room first and looked in. She was out cold and was peacefully resting as shadows wrapped around her. He stared at the lines of her face, the shape of her mouth and nose. It was all so similar to his face.  
  
"Deacon? They need you."  
  
Deacon shut the door and crossed the floor to the other half of the room. Quinn and Mercury were arguing bitterly again and Deacon knew what had caused it.   
  
"Face it princess, you got sloppy." Mercury snapped at him and Quinn shouted back at her.   
  
"Quinn shut the fuck up," Deacon heard the familiar chill in his voice and was able to shake loose his troubles for the moment. "What happened?"  
  
"Blade was there D, he was waiting for us again." Quinn waved his arms in the air and Deacon noticed he had lost another hand. A thought crossed his mind, there had to be better help, but Deacon shoved it aside for now.   
  
"Blade was there? What about the target?" Deacon asked.   
  
Quinn waved to Mercury, "Ask the ice queen over there, she lost the brat."   
  
Mercury glared at Quinn, "It wasn't me who couldn't take down an old man."   
  
And the bickering started again.   
  
Deacon sighed as he rubbed his face absently. "People, what about Blade?"   
  
They both looked at him and were quiet for a moment. Deacon looked at them, a frown crossing his face.   
  
"Did either of you notice which way he went?"   
  
Mercury glared at Quinn, "That was your job."  
  
Deacon threw his hands in the air and left the room as they started at it again. He didn't realize where he was until he found himself staring at Dale. He frowned at himself but pushed it away. Reaching down he shook her gently.   
  
Dale's eyes fluttered and opened as her breathing staggered and hissed for a moment. "Deacon?"   
  
"I need you to wake up for a minute." Deacon sat down next to her and she followed him with her eyes. "The disc you made; the one with all the pictures on it, why did you keep that one on you?"   
  
Dale smiled a little. "It had more meaning then the other one. All I have left is on that disc and I was afraid to loose it."   
  
"I'll give you a trade," Deacon said quietly. "The real disc for the other one."   
  
Dale watched him. "No. I can't."   
  
  
  
Deacon frowned at her, "Why not?   
  
"I give you that disc and you unleash La Magra and then what?" She watched him closely. "The whole world is turned into vampires? What if we don't want to be a vampire?"   
  
Deacon narrowed his eyes. "What makes you think you'll be alive when that happens?"   
  
"Because you've seen the disc, you won't kill me." Dale said simply as her eyes clouded over.   
  
"Don't you dare fall asleep," Deacon shook her again; Dale opened her eyes and stared at him. "Blade just went after Lionel Kelly and his house, how long do you think it will be before he comes here?"   
  
Dale focused on Deacon. "Lionel Kelly?" She stared at him a moment. "Evelyn lives with him."   
  
Deacon nodded. "Blade grabbed her."   
  
A spark lit behind her eyes and she was suddenly fully awake. "Evelyn is with Blade? Shit, she could blow the whole thing." Dale threw back the covers and put her feet on the floor. "Where are my jeans?"   
  
"We threw them out." Deacon stood up and went to the other side of the room. Opening a closet he tossed her pair of gray sweat pants. "What do you mean Evelyn could blow the whole thing?"  
  
He turned away as she dressed and heard her leave the room, Deacon followed her quickly.   
  
"Evelyn was Paul's favorite, he gave her the pass-code to the whole system. I was the one who built it, but Evelyn was given the key to the lock. When she hears that Paul is dead, she'll assume I did it and crash the system. That means you'll never get your translations."  
  
"What about the disc that you made?" Deacon insisted.   
  
"There was no disc!" Dale snapped as she opened the door to his apartment. "Don't you get it? Paul wanted La Magra to himself, he never allowed me to copy anything."   
  
Deacon stared at her, "Paul wanted La Magra?"   
  
"Yeah. He wanted to do your plan for a different reason. Paul was hell bent on destroying the human world. Where you are hell bent on teaching the Pure Bloods a long over due lesson." Dale paused before stepping out. "Listen Deacon, I understand you didn't think much of Paul, but he wasn't a complete fool."   
  
Deacon crossed to the door and grabbed her arm, "You are not leaving here!"   
  
Dale stared at him. "How do you plan on stopping Evelyn? Do you even know what she looks like?"   
  
"Of course I do, we went to snatch her tonight."   
  
"Why?"   
  
Deacon blinked at her, "What do you mean?"   
  
"What prompted you to suddenly go after Evelyn? Did you get a call from someone or did you find a letter, anything?"   
  
"I got a call from one of my Familiars, they work in the same building as Evelyn and they told me she was working on something that would interest me." Deacon said and saw the look of doubt on her face. "You think it was a trap?"   
  
"I do." Dale waved a hand into the hall, "Chances are Blade used the Familiar to try and draw you out."   
  
Deacon got a look of thought on his face for a few minutes. "He doesn't know what I am doing."   
  
"Maybe not, but he knows your up to something. He knows that something is happening." Dale sighed. "He was in Detroit before Paul destroyed the project. There was rumor that Paul got spooked by Blade and decided to end it."   
  
"Do you think Blade got hold of anything?" Deacon asked.   
  
"No. Paul had everything, and I mean everything, destroyed." Dale leaned back against the door and hugged her left arm to her side. "Trust me Deacon, I wouldn't say this if there was a chance I was wrong. I have lost everything to that daywalker and I wouldn't make this up."   
  
"So where are the translations?" Deacon asked carefully.   
  
"With Evelyn." Dale felt her eyes begin to burn. "If you find Evelyn you find the translations."   
  
Without warning her knees gave out and Dale slid to the floor, out cold. Deacon crouched above her head and touched her hair lightly. It was thick like his, warm and smooth, like Edward's had been once. Deacon didn't welcome the next thought in his head: she was all that was left of his line.   
  
Dale breathed slowly in and out, Deacon rolled her over. "I knew you would tell me eventually."   
  
"Hey the human tried to escape!" Quinn shouted as he came running into the room, followed by Mercury. He stopped short when he saw Deacon. "Caught her huh D?"  
  
Mercury glared at Deacon  
  
Deacon lifted his head to look at them, he didn't acknowledge the look on Mercury's face. "Get the plane ready, we are going to Detroit."   
  
"What's in Detroit?" Quinn asked. "Blade is here, man."   
  
Deacon stood with Dale in his arms and carried her back to her room. "Just get the damn plane Quinn." 


	4. b4

Bound  
  
Pt 4  
  
Rain was thick even this high up as the jet swept across moonlit clouds and brushed the stars. Lightening broke in sizzling whips around the plane, illuminating the dreary night and turning into a romantic setting.  
  
Deacon lifted his head from the screen as he glanced over once more to Dale. The flight had been under way for more then an hour and she was still out cold. Quinn was yammering about something as though Deacon were actually listening and Mercury was glowering at him from three feet away where she sat across the aisle. All of this was background noise to the thudding in his head, the rushing of something alien in his body. Given that neither his heart beat or his system rushed, it was an odd feeling.   
  
"So what's in Detroit Deacon?" Quinn asked.   
  
Deacon looked over at him, it was the first intelligent thing Quinn had said all night. "The translations to the Red Stone."   
  
'Why don't we jus torture the girl and get them?" Mercury asked a perfectly level tone, "It would be faster." She stared out the window for a moment. "The sun is coming up soon and we have no place to stay."   
  
"Has anyone got a phone I can use?"   
  
All three vampires jumped and looked to Dale as she carefully pulled herself to a sitting position. Deacon tossed her the cell phone he had and she dialed a number. Her gaze was steady on the floor as Dale held her left arm in her lap and gently rocked back and forth.   
  
"Jake, this is Dale." She smiled softly. "I have a couple of friends who need to use your basement." Her gaze flickered up and over the three of them. "Two men and a girl," Dale grinned then winced as her cheek protested the action. "As I recall that was part of the deal."   
  
Deacon watched as she spoke and that jolt feeling stirred in his system. Her eyes lit up as his often did when he was enthused with something. Her face set into lines that were similar to his.  
  
"Listen Jake," Dale paused as her gaze settled on Deacon. "I have an idea, why don't you meet us there and you can see for your self?"   
  
Quinn frowned and looked at Deacon, who just shrugged. Dale tossed the phone back to Deacon when she was finished and leaned back against the couch.   
  
"Are we staying a basement?" Mercury asked sharply. Anger heavy in her words as she glared at Dale, who only closed her eyes and let out a wheezing breath. "Why not one of the safe houses? There has to be one near where ever we are going."  
  
"Blade will be aware of what we are doing. He will watch the safe houses, he may even strike at them during the day. It is better to go through unused channels, rather then risk being disintegrated."  
  
Mercury opened her mouth to continue her fight when Deacon interrupted her. "Listen to her Mercury. Dale has a point."   
  
His girlfriend swung around in her seat to glare daggers at him and she rose stiffly from her chair. "Just who's side are you on?" She hissed, as her fangs bled out and her eyes shifted colors. "Since when you did you become a human lover?"   
  
"Sit down Mercury." Deacon muttered at he met her gaze. "You'd think you were jealous or something."   
  
Mercury lunged at him from the three foot gap but hit only the chair. Deacon was a few inches away and standing casually in the hall. Quinn started to laugh as Mercury wheeled around and dove again, but not for Deacon, this time she went for Dale.   
  
Dale's eyes snapped open as she was yanked out of her chair and strangled by the female vampire. She would have struggled or fought, but her body wasn't working properly. She stared at Deacon as he narrowed his eyes at Mercury.   
  
"Put her down Mercury." Deacon's tone was very low, threatening with a hint of anger.   
  
"No, I don't think so. Why should I kiss up to this stupid little human? She is nothing." Mercury shook her arm and Dale to make her point.   
  
"Either you put her down or I take your arm off and you put her down." Deacon took a step forward, Mercury backed up a step. "What's gotten into you anyway?"   
  
"Me? Me?" Mercury shrieked. "I am not the one who's fallen for some human bitch. I am not the one who is crawling around like a whipped mutt."   
  
Deacon clenched his fists to keep from lunging at her. "You don't understand Mercury."   
  
"I don't? Then explain it to me Deacon." Mercury shook Dale again.   
  
"She's my-"  
  
"I am his new pet project." Dale gagged. "Why do you think my arm is all taped up? He was testing me." Dale's voice came out squeezed   
  
"You are his familiar?" Quinn doubled over with the giggles as he slapped his knee. "That explains the love sick behavior."   
  
Mercury glared at Deacon. "Is this true?"   
  
"Yes." Deacon kept his tone level.  
  
The plane gave a violet heave and threw its self to the left as it dropped in the air. The interior lights flickered on and off. Deacon lunged at Mercury as she was thrown off her feet, his hands grabbed the vampire's wrist and snapped it. Dale clattered to the floor and let out a cry as she landed on her bad arm. Mercury howled as the plane heaved again and she stumbled into the seats. Deacon grabbed on to the back of one and pulled Dale to him. She clung with her right arm as the plane was once again flooded with light.   
  
"Is everyone alright back there?" The pilot called back as the plane leveled out and the course was smooth again. "We hit some turbulence but we are about five minutes away."   
  
"Good." Deacon kept his eyes on Mercury as she glared knives at him. "I suggest you remain seated until we land."   
  
She looked away first and glared out the window at the Detroit skyline.   
  
Deacon helped Dale back to her chair and carefully looked at her arm. The fall had reopened the wound and it was bleeding slowly. His mouth ached as his fangs drew out and he had to close his eyes for a moment.   
  
"You okay?" Dale asked quietly.   
  
"Just hungry." Deacon sighed and opened his eyes.  
  
Dale watched him a moment before looking at her arm, "So why did you have to cut so far in?"   
  
"The disc was grafted to your bone. Weren't you aware of that?"   
  
Dale shook her head. "No. I was kept under deep medication for two months. I don't know anything that happened."   
  
Quinn staggered his way toward Deacon and sat down across from him. "So D, you ever feel like sharing?"   
  
Deacon shot him a look that made the vampire pale, "No."   
  
Deacon re-wrapped her arm and sat back as Dale leaned into her chair, staring with sad eyes into the city. Her face was closed and guarded as her eyes grew cold like green glaciers.   
  
"Do you know where we are going?" Deacon asked as they dropped closer to the ground.   
  
Dale nodded. "What's left of it anyway."   
  
"Explain."   
  
Dale sighed, "Paul had us set up in a two floor office complex. Thirty offices in all with a huge storage facility right across the street. When we used it, the name on the buildings was Stone Works Medical. We said that our company was a medical supply outfit and that allowed for the twenty four hour operation we ran. The massive supply of computers and so on. Paul had one computer, the primary master; that was the heart and brains of the entire outfit. I programmed it to scan, read, save and translate the findings that Paul would give me. A second computer, the secondary master; was the back up for the primary. The secondary could be linked up any of the remaining two dozen computers, but any changes had to be made through the primary unit. It was the p and s units that Paul had destroyed. But there is still a chance that the remaining twenty four computers might have enough on them to reconstruct an accurate reading."   
  
Deacon made a face as he watched her, "What about Evelyn? We find her; we find the translations, that is what you said."   
  
Dale opened her eyes and smiled at him. "I lied."   
  
The pilot's voice came over the plane. "We're landing boss and the car is waiting for you."   
  
"Quinn, keep Mercury company until we land." Deacon leaned forward and took Dale's hands as Quinn left. He lowered his tone for her ears alone. "Listen to me, if you lie again, I will break your hand, if you cause any more trouble then I'll break your wrist. I'll work my way up until I snap your neck for every glitch you plan."   
  
Dale stared at him. "Deacon I haven't planned any glitches any where. You think I want to be here? You think I am enjoying this little ride? My family died working under a guy like you, my best friend died because he worked for a guy like you. You really believe that I would lie to a guy you? Human I am, fool I am not."   
  
Deacon watched her face and carefully squeezed her left hand; Dale fought against the cry that lodged in her throat. "No more trouble."   
  
**  
  
The rain was cold, hard and biting. It sank into the flesh and drilled it's way to the bones and then went further, seeming to cut to the core of the body. At least that was how Dale felt as she was hauled from the plane to the waiting SUV. Deacon sat behind her with his hands resting on the seat above her shoulders. Quinn climbed in next to her and started flipping through the map on the door. Mercury was silent as she got in beside Deacon.   
  
Dale had to go slowly because of the weather and her arm which didn't please the vampires any.   
  
"So what do we do if these translations aren't on the computers?" Quinn asked after a few minutes.   
  
"We find them another way." Dale slowed at a red light. "There's a computer at Paul's compound not far from Stone Works. We can try there next?"   
  
"And if they aren't there either?" Quinn challenged.   
  
Dale sighed, "Then we start over."   
  
"After we kill you." Deacon said gently has he placed his hands on her shoulders.   
  
"Right," Dale turned a corner and slowed even more.   
  
Leaning forward slightly she narrowed her eyes; damn it, she couldn't see a thing. Pulling over to the side of the road she shuts off the engine and stares into the rain.   
  
"I can't see a damn thing. I'll have to get out." She told Deacon and he lifted his hands.   
  
"Quinn, go with her." Deacon nodded as Dale got out and ran across the street.   
  
Quinn scrambled after her and came up short as Dale stopped at a chain link covered doorway.   
  
"Any way you could take that down?" Dale asked.   
  
"Sure." Quinn uses his good hand and rips off sections of the fence as though they are paper. "Want me to get the door too?"  
  
"No. I got it."  
  
Dale takes out her wallet and removes a plain black card from inside. Replacing her wallet, she inserts the card into the crack between the door and the wall and moves up. After six inches she quickly pulls the card out, a lock pops from inside and the door opens half an inch.   
  
"Nifty." Quinn remarks as he pulls open the door.   
  
"Get Deacon and Mercury, I'll start working with the computers. Tell him to bring his laptop." Dale disappears inside.   
  
Her mind replays what the place used to be like; muted tones of gray and beige blended with black and lit with rows of cream tubes. The offices had been sectioned off by moveable screens in gray that had been maneuvered as the office needed space. At the far left there had been a large flat top table where morning meetings would take place. She used to sit in the chair on the left from the top. Her desk had been a large cubic shape allowing for her twin desk unit and huge desk table. Paul may have brought in the computers, but she had been their Creator, their God. It had been her will that gave them life, so she was the one who operated the p and s units. Primary master had been her own personal computer; no one else was allowed to touch it. Secondary was used with permission only. When Paul had destroyed them he had destroyed a piece of her too.   
  
The rest of the office had been broken up into cubicles, work stations, and even a space for the vending machines and coffee area. The second color had held the lab where the Red Stone was worked on; rock samples, writing samples, everything one could think of was done to that slab of granite. There had even been a vault installed near the last few days, accessed only by Paul and no one else. No one knew what had gone in there or why it had been added, but there had been rumors, he was working on his own 'little project.'   
  
"Dale!"   
  
She jumped and was shaken out of her reverie. No matter how things had been once; they weren't so any more, now it was nothing but shadow rich concrete littered with insulations, mouse shit and other kinds of debris. Mainly, dismantled computer parts and blown out wiring.  
  
Deacon caught up to her and glared at her for a long moment.   
  
Dale watched the way his eyes illuminated in the dark, their color grew brighter and brighter until they were twin fires. Shadows cut deeply across his face in an uneven pattern that made him look like some kind of shadow-demon.   
  
"This shit is useless." Quinn tossed a stray piece of metal across the room.  
  
"There is still something I can use." Dale countered and turned her back on Deacon.   
  
Crossing the floor with careful steps; she came to the over turned desk she had used, a hard cased black box was a few feet away.   
  
"Quinn, turn this table over," Dale snatched the box off the ground as Quinn righted the table. "Deacon, your laptop," Dale held out a hand, after a long moment of eye to eye staring, the laptop was placed in her hand. "Now just give me a few minutes."   
  
Shrugging off her coat, Dale laid it flat and ripped at the lining. Once it was gone she took out the pen light along with a single leather bound pouch. Holding the light between her teeth, Dale set up the laptop and inserted the desk. As the program ran she uncoiled two cables and plugged them into the machine.   
  
"Quinn, could you move that cabinet?" Dale motioned to it and the vampire pushed it aside. The wall behind it appeared to be normal; Dale ran her fingers along the base board and pulled a section loose. A hidden cable connection was revealed. Plugging in the two lines she went back to the machine.   
  
The program had brought up a window that was asking for a password and a username. Dale rubbed her face before starting. PASSWORD: Pandora; USERNAME: Frost. The machine buzzed and hummed until another window popped up. Dale licked her lips as her fingers punched in a string of computer code. The machine worked as fast as she did and it took three minutes to complete the task. Dale stood back and looked around the office as if waiting for something.   
  
"What is that?" Mercury inquired as she leaned over Dale's right side. "It looks like a map."   
  
"It is. This is the power grid for this entire area. I have diverted a portion of energy to here so we can operate."   
  
As she spoke there came a low pitched up as a few of the working lights flickered and snapped to life.   
  
"And he said unto them…let there be light." Dale smiled to herself.   
  
Dale opened the black box and pulled out a slim silver case and a large brown cloth bag. Opening the box she connected it to the laptop and then opened the brown bag. A set of five silver CD's came out of it. Opening the leather pouch Dale took out the disc from the computer and inserted the new one. In the silver box she placed one of the CD's. The computer changed screens as Dale's fingers danced swiftly over the keys, breaking out a hypnotic rhythm of tapping as she hit the buttons.   
  
"What are you doing now?"   
  
"This is commonly referred to as hacking a system. You know how I said Paul kept his own computer at home?" Dale didn't pause as she spoke. "I am weaseling my way into his system and taking out the information on the translations from there to here. I don't know how much he kept at home, but chances are good he kept everything."   
  
"You knew he would do that." Deacon remarked. "Evelyn never had the translations."   
  
"Oh yes she does. I am just getting them another way. I didn't want to mention this because I was hoping to avoid it." Dale paused and changed the CD to a fresh one. From her coat she took out a felt pen and wrote #1 on it. The machine started again.   
  
"Why not mention it Dale?" Deacon demanded.   
  
"Because Paul's people will know he's dead so they will be monitoring his systems. To make it short; they know I am here right now and are probably on their way here. Meaning that we are knee deep in shit and sinking like the Titanic."   
  
Quinn frowned and looked at Deacon. "What are we going to do man?"   
  
"Why didn't you say something earlier?" Deacon snapped.   
  
Dale glanced at him, "Would you have believed me?"   
  
Deacon drew in a breath. "Quinn watch the door; Mercury go to the back and Dale hurry it up."   
  
"It's not my fault you've got a crappy laptop." Dale jibed but returned to looking at the screen.   
  
With the last disc complete Dale began unplugging things when the lights suddenly shut off.   
  
"They're heeeere" Quinn called from his post at the door.   
  
"Oh hell." Dale stuffed the discs inside the brown bag and crouched down. Mercury suddenly appeared in the room as bullets ripped through the office space. The vampire dove to the floor with a pissed look on her face.  
  
"Probably using silver." Dale muttered.  
  
"Oh that's just great." Deacon looked around. "How the fuck are we supposed to get out of here?"   
  
  
  
Just then the firing stopped.   
  
Dale looked up and grinned. "Can you jump white man?" She held the bag in her teeth and climbed onto the table.   
  
Leaping up she grabbed onto a loose wire and dangled for a moment. Pulling herself up hurt and sent rages of pain through her body, but she did it. Forcing her body to wiggle and squirm from the hole and into night.  
  
Deacon and company followed a moment later.   
  
"Hello Deacon."   
  
Deacon spun around and found a tall, dark vampire dangling Dale over the side of the building.   
  
"Hello Khan," Deacon grabbed Mercury by the sleeve as she moved forward. "How nice to see you again."   
  
"Yeah right," Khan shook Dale. "Let's cut through the shit and get to it. You have something I want. Give it here or the bitch dies."   
  
Deacon noticed Dale didn't have the bag anymore. He watched her face; using her eyes she slid them to a near by drain pipe. Deacon understood. "Well now that doesn't seem quite fair to me."   
  
"I don't care what's fair or not." Dale gagged and her eyes widened. "Hand it over Frost."   
  
"Okay, fine." Deacon sighed. "There in the drain pipe."   
  
Khan looked down and in the same instant his head exploded. Dale flinched as bits of thick gore rained down on her and screamed as she suddenly dropped. Deacon snatched her and yanked at the same time. Dale crashed into him and they rolled across the roof. More shots cracked through the night sending Mercury and Quinn diving to the ground.   
  
Dale focused and found herself lying underneath Deacon, his arms closed around her body. Her heart was clamoring to get loose of her ribs as her body throbbed with adrenaline. Deacon lifted his head and their eyes were inches apart. Again that jolt went through him and he could see it flood through Dale.   
  
"You feel it too huh?" He asked. "We aren't exactly family anymore." His tone was a whisper against her mouth.   
  
Dale didn't know weather to let him or hit him and in the time it took her to decide, he made the choice for her. His lips were cool and smooth like winter snow flakes. The ghost of his breath filled her mouth and the jolt became fire that turned into an inferno.   
  
Deacon pulled away and smiled softly. "Open your eyes Dale."   
  
Dale obeyed and blinked several times, she wanted to speak but nothing came to mind so she only smiled.   
  
Deacon moved to his feet, somewhat cautiously and Dale joined him as they both peeked out at the roof. They were hidden behind a ventilation shaft that has survived the clean out years ago.   
  
"I wonder who shot him." Dale whispered.   
  
"A sniper." Deacon gave a slight nod. "Up on the next building you can see the reflection of the scope."   
  
Dale looked. "I can't see a thing."   
  
Mercury appeared beside them, startling Dale. "I have the discs, Quinn is waiting in the alley."   
  
Deacon grabbed Dale around the waist and moved in that blinding speed, leaping in a push of muscles as they dropped to the street below.   
  
"Come on everyone, time to blow this pop stand." Quinn waved them into a stolen green car and they ripped out of the alley. 


	5. b5

NOTE: This is the last chapter in the Bound series. If you would like me to continue it from where it leaves off, let me know in your reviews and I'll come up with something.   
  
Bound   
  
Pt 5  
  
Dale huddled against the side of the door as Quinn drove wildly for a few blocks. Deacon finally got him to slow down and they all adjusted themselves in the car.   
  
"Where to Dale?" Quinn asked.   
  
Dale told him and Quinn took them there. The building appeared to be nothing but red brick and broken glass, surrounded by ruined junk heaps and ghostly buildings. Quinn pulled over to the curb across from the building. All three vampires gazed at it with skeptic eyes. Dale got out and waved with her right arm from the top window there came movement. Dale stepped around the car and crossed the street. Her movements were stiff and she walked with pain in her stride. Quinn got out after her and followed leaving behind Deacon and Mercury.   
  
"So who's this Jake guy?" Quinn asked as they moved up three broken steps.   
  
"A family friend you might say." Dale rapped with her knuckles against the door. It opened a moment later and a young man of seventeen smiled at her, "Hi Jake."   
  
"D." Jake looked her up and down and then to Quinn. "So you really did kill Paul."   
  
"No. Frost had that pleasure."   
  
"Who?" Jake peered out at the two vampires that were crossing the street. "Oh your-"  
  
"My new boss." Dale countered and Jake looked at her a moment.   
  
"Right, the new boss." Jake closed the door once all the vampires were inside. "So what brings you to Detroit?"   
  
"Evelyn." Dale said as she made her way down a set of metal stairs.   
  
The building housed a large area of computers, screens and various other bits of technology. A black mesh screen sectioned off an area of the floor from the computers. There was a white cloth strung across another part of the room.   
  
"I like the changes." Dale commented as she wandered through the floor.   
  
Jake followed the vampires down the stairs and shrugged. "You always had good taste."  
  
Dale turned and caught the look Jake was giving Deacon's backside. She caught the young man's eye and shook her head slightly. Jake shrugged again. "Got any supplies here? They've had a long flight."   
  
"Sure." Jake stepped behind the white curtain and came out minutes later with three bags. "Sorry about the bags, but that's all I could snitch."   
  
Neither one of the vampires complained as they took the offered bag and sucked it back. Dale busied herself with setting up a computer. "Mercury the discs, please?"   
  
Mercury tossed her the bag, her attention focused on getting the last drop out.   
  
Jake sat next to Dale and eyed Deacon from time to time. "He's stunning. How did you manage to snatch him?"   
  
"We bumped into one another." Dale inserted the first disc. "I'm glad you like him."   
  
"Who wouldn't," Jake muttered. "But I am not a blind fool, I see the resemblance between you two. I also see the way he looks at you."   
  
Dale didn't comment as she worked with the discs. Setting up the machine she reached across the desk and plugged the machine into another one. The jumbo screens that were strung up flashed and fluttered to life as the information flowed. Dale watched as the image clarified and four years of work took shape on the screens.   
  
"It's incredible Dale." Jake remarked.   
  
Deacon turned his head and felt his eyes widen as he grinned. "The Red Stone translations."   
  
The images were lines of text that appeared to be an ancient Sanskrit or something close to it. Endless lines filed into neat columns and the image would change. Becoming a graphic presentation of what the text had meant. Then it would start over again.   
  
Deacon approached the screens and held up a hand to one of them. His fingers pressed against the surface and he stood quiet for a moment. Slowly he dropped his head and turned to face the room.   
  
"We are only months away now." Deacon laughed softly. "La Magra will reign yet."   
  
Jake shot a look to Dale. "Did he say La Magra?"   
  
Dale nodded.   
  
"Didn't Paul want La Magra?"   
  
Dale nodded again. "Deacon beat him too it."   
  
"Or you gave it to him." Jake countered coldly. "Did you really think it would be so easy?"   
  
Dale lifted her head and stared at him. "What are you talking about Jake?"   
  
Just then the door to the building was blown inward and a flood of people in black came down the stairs.   
  
"These aren't Paul's people." Dale remarked as they leveled a sub machine gun at her.   
  
Jake stood up and stepped into the crowd of black, he moved until he came to the stairs where a man in gold stepped down.   
  
"PAUL!" Dale gasped.   
  
"Hello Dale." Paul slid his arm around Jake and kissed the boy's cheek. "Good of you to bring me the translations."   
  
Dale looked at the screens and hung her head. "So it was a set up."   
  
"Yes. Although I hadn't planned on Blade being part of it, he helped me a great deal."   
  
Deacon frowned. "I ripped your heart out."   
  
Paul smiled, "I have the first half of the La Magra translations." Paul reached inside his shirt and pulled out a brown metal disc. "Evelyn."   
  
"Eveyln was a chunk of metal?" Mercury frowned. "What gives?"   
  
"Didn't Dale explain it to you?" Paul asked as he laughed softly. "Evelyn was the code name for the project. I had a group of scientists working to transcribe the power of the Red Stone into this." He wiggled Evelyn. "I can't die."   
  
Deacon crossed his arms and stared at the vampire, "So what are you going to do?"   
  
"I see no need to punish you Deacon, I mean it wasn't your idea to betray me after all." Paul looked at him, "However you did cause me a great deal of discomfort. So I will return the favor and rip out something of yours."   
  
Dale lifted her head just as the gun fired into her chest. The blast threw her back into the air and crashing against the black screen. Deacon kept himself from running to her but only barely.   
  
"Now we can talk a deal." Paul smiled brightly. "I have the translations you need to finish my work. So I suggest-"  
  
"Your work?" Deacon snarled. "I started this project first Paul, without my work you never would have gotten this close."   
  
"Yes my work, La Magra belongs to the Pure Bloods Deacon. Not some turned vampire." Paul countered as he glared at the three of them.   
  
Deacon opened his mouth when he caught sight of something in the upper windows. A figure in black moved against the windows. He saw the glint of a scope and dove for the floor as bullets shot through the room. Jake hit the floor followed by Paul and some of the people in black.   
  
"Mercury, get the discs!" Deacon crawled his way along the floor. "Quinn, the car!"  
  
Keeping low he made his way to Dale and found she was still alive, albeit barely. "Dale, I can help you, but you have to make the choice now."   
  
Her eyes were slow to fix on him; her breathing was ragged and blood oozed from her mouth. Deacon saw the answer in her eyes and smiled.   
  
**  
  
Dale's body woke up without the rest of her for the fist few minutes, making her feel like she was hanging in some warm fuzzy space. After a moment she surfaced in her mind and was aware of her surroundings. Opening her eyes she felt the room spin around her for a moment before she could concentrate on the figure next to her. It was a large black man with cornrows, dressed entirely in black. Dale vaguely recognized him from somewhere.   
  
"Hey there."   
  
Her head turned and the room dipped and swung around her. Finally she was able to zero in on the source and felt something inside. "Brandon!"   
  
Brandon grinned as he sat down next to her, "Hi Dale."   
  
"But that guy shot you in your kitchen," Dale reached a hand up and touched his face.   
  
Brandon glanced over to the large black man. "Mateo was there to help."   
  
She looked again at the black man as he stood and left. Her attention went back to Brandon. She honestly didn't know what to say to him and so could say nothing, all she did was smile.   
  
"Speaking of help."   
  
Dale looked over Brandon's head to the man that owned the voice. Deacon strolled in easily and sat down in Mateo's chair.   
  
Brandon rose, "I'll talk to you later."   
  
Once alone Deacon took her right hand and kissed it. "I was hoping you would wake up tonight."   
  
"Why?"  
  
Deacon smiled. "We have combined the two items and the computer is working on the complete translation."   
  
"What about Paul?"   
  
Deacon reached in to his shirt and drew out Evelyn. "Brandon relieved him of this." He pressed it into her hand. "Consider Evelyn yours now."   
  
"Brandon? How could he do that?"   
  
"He was the sniper." Deacon chuckled when he saw the look on her face. "That boy has many skills."   
  
Dale let out a breath as her body began to feel more normal. "So what happens now?"   
  
"You have to make a choice." Deacon sounded sad and a bit annoyed. "Either stay here and work with me or leave with Brandon and never come back."   
  
"Why do you sound sad by that?" Dale lifted her right hand and touched his face. "The choice is easy."   
  
Deacon took her hand and pressed into in the bed. "No Dale, it's not easy. I won't deny that I feel something for you. But I don't know what it is and consider our past…Brandon is a very lucky man."   
  
"Up on the roof you said it didn't matter anymore." Dale was surprised by the tears in her voice.   
  
"I know and I thought maybe it wouldn't. But when we were standing there and I saw you shot, the first thing I wanted to do was help you. I forgot about La Magra and everything I am working for. I can't afford that." Deacon sat back and looked at his shoes. "I wanted more then anything to bring you across and have you with me for ever. But I can't have that and continue my work."   
  
"Why not?" Dale asked, tears prickled around her eyes. "Why can't we work something out?"   
  
"Because what I feel and what I know you feel can't be denied if we are together." Deacon sighed. "I just don't-"  
  
"No don't say anything." Dale closed her eyes to keep from crying. "I will leave with Brandon."  
  
**  
  
Dale paused as she opened the car door and looked up to the top of the tower. A party was raging and she wasn't there. Brandon got in and the car engine growled to life. Dale bit her lip to keep from weeping and got in beside him.   
  
"He loves you and it scares him." Brandon said lightly before they started off.   
  
Dale looked across at Brandon. "The most painful love is that of family and vampires are no different."   
  
Brandon said nothing as they started toward the horizon and a new life. 


End file.
